Friday, September 01, 2006

Friday A.M. Wrap

"Live Sloppy?" The "Lance and Paris" rumors are among the most disturbing I've heard this year. The guy is the pre-eminent sports hero of our generation. She is the pre-eminent "famous for being famous" celebrity of our generation. I guess it makes sense in a completely wacked-out sort of way.

But if you thought it was kind of nasty for Lance to be having Matt Leinart's sloppy seconds, what about Lance having Brian Urlacher's sloppy thirds? (Are there any other athletes rumored to have been with Paris that I'm missing?)

T.O. making his Cowboys debut is so much less important than the fact that Mike Vanderjagt missed two would-be game-winning FGs in OT.

OK, so Rex Grossman doesn't suck nearly as bad as everyone thinks he does. (Doesn't help the grief I took for taking the Bears – behind Griese – to win the NFC title.)

Are NFL preseason records meaningless? I think the Raiders' 4-0 was exposed as a fraud after they were shellacked by the Seahawks. But I think the Redskins' 0-4 is cause for massive concern, simply because the WAY they got to this point is so brutal.

Wow: Marcus Vick is going to make it in the NFL. Take that, haters. (I'm no fan, but the guy went undrafted. Credit Nick Saban for taking a chance on him. I remain convinced that every NFL team will have a dedicated "QB-turned-WR" on its roster within 2 seasons.)

My Bad: I was so so so wrong predicting Agassi would lose to Baghdatis. If that's Andre's final winning match, it was a great one.

If it was "FloridaState" instead of "IowaState" and "Miami" instead of "Toledo," we'd be calling last night's 45-43 3OT thriller the game of the year.

(Less thrilling: Northwestern's 21-3 win over Miami/Ohio. The defense looked OK -- surprisingly OK, actually. The offense looked so-so, but I guess a redshirt frosh QB in his first start deserves a break.)

Papi back Saturday? At this point, he's playing for the AL MVP, 'cause he ain't leading the Red Sox to the playoffs. But, as I've said before, I'm happy to permanently put him at No. 2 on my MVP ballot, but if the Sox don't make the playoffs, there's no way he gets my vote.

(I've already argued that I kind of like Frank Thomas for AL MVP, but there's something to be said for giving it to Morneau or Dye, depending on whether the Twins or White Sox win the AL Wild Card.)

Is there a new "Face of Baseball?" Regular Quickie readers will remember that I totally rejected Derek Jeter as the "Face of Baseball" last season, in favor of Dontrelle Willis. I think the "Face" should be flexible, and I'm ready to change my pick: The NEW "Face of Baseball" is Ryan Howard.

Last thing: Bear with me as I work out what I'm going to write about, how I'm going to say it, etc. Do you like the idea of one topic per post (like USA Hoops or Leinart)? Or do you like the "all-in-one" of this "Wrap-Up"-ish post? Let me know in the Comments area. This morning remains pretty surreal...

129 comments:

I enjoy the all-in-one to a degree. Maybe, try a group of topics similar to the DQ. One for each is too many, but one GIANT post may be too much to comment on. In any case, it looks like I still have something to do at work from 9-10am

I think you should cover the big stories in separate posts, then the little stuff all in one post.

Dye is a good MVP candidate, but my MVP is Johan Santana. The guy's unbeatable at home, and without him the Twins are probably barely over .500 right now. He is easily the best pitcher in the game today.

But I'm with you on the Ryan Howard = Face of Baseball thing. (did you know that he's as old as Pujols, though?)

I like the quickie-style as well where its lots of things in one post.

I know I have already sent you some rather stern messages in the quickie feedback but I am still wondering if you are ever going to fill your loyal readers in why there is no more quickie? If it's personal can't about it, that's cool but at least let us all know that is the case.

Keep it up, glad to see there is still a place to enjoy your entertaining writing.

I think it all depends on how much time you have. If youre bored, feel free to write a little more in depth about anything or everything. It would be interesting to hear you espouse your views without being restricted to a bullet point or witty comment. By the way, what are you doing now that youre no longer employed by the dot-com?

All in one. It makes the reading so much more interesting. Also, maybe linking to stories across the country about the topic you are discussing. This will allow the readers to find out more information for each topic.

I like the Wrap up style for all the smaller stories. Then maybe a couple of bigger posts for the important stories (Team USA loss, stuff like that). You can keep the format that we are all familiar with while also getting to add stuff to important stories that you weren't give room to do at ESPN.com

Am I being to greedy in asking for both styles? i.e. a big story or two and a wrap up for the rest of the news. BTW, missed you from 9-10 this morning, not sure if I can get used to this whole working thing.

Dan, I can't believe that you went thru possible MVP candidates without mentioning Hafner, who, if the Indians were anywhere close to making the playoffs, would be the runaway winner. Anyway, as of now, Jeter is the frontrunner......

The more the better; what else do I have to do, work? :) I like the wrap-up style, and then the longer posts for the bigger stories (USA hoops, for example). Bascially, keep writing it, and I will keep reading it.

Truthfully Dan? You should do this however you see fit on each day you choose to do it. This isn't the DQ and you don't have an audience that you must keep or be cancelled. This is your blog and the rest of us are just blessed to see it.

I will say that twice this week Agassi has made me stay up well later than I intended, because he doesn't seem to want to win easy.

Aside from that I watched the ugliest shutout I've ever seen, the 15-0 S. Car win over MSU.

Gotta keep the quickie style going. I'm too busy to sift through espn and cnnsi.com. You blog should be like a mini sportscenter.

P.S. Jeter is the all out favorite for MVP, I was at the stadium on Wednesday (yeah, yanks lost) but he was up, score was 2-0 Tigers, 2 men on and even before he got into the batter's box we were screaming MVP, MVP and he delivered, Ortiz is the only person that I couldnt even imagine conceeding the award to.

Make this thing how you want it. You won't have a deadline with this other than 25 commenters who will come on and start making fun of you/your mom/wife. If you want to take a topic and put some substance in it, go for it. If not, spout the random thoughts (I think "Random thoughts/musings" are words included in 90% of these blogs).

When the Phillies miss the playoffs, is Ryan Howard still the "face of baseball." I bet you'd still like him as MVP. I also bet you liked A-Rod for MVP when he was won it on the Rangers and his team was NOWHERE NEAR the playoffs. So don't raise hell when Ortiz wins MVP. And someone please explain to me what makes Frank Thomas MVP? Sure, the power is there, I guess. I didn't know MVPs were awarded to guys on revenge tours. Kenny Williams was spot on about him, he is surly and selfish, so yeah, M-V-P. Oh wait, I thought DHs couldn't win? No, that's just for David Ortiz? Okay, sure. At any rate, the MVP is Jermaine Dye. That team has had shaky pitching for two months plus, all the while he has consistently won games for them. The Papelbon homer, the nathan homer, he's been as clutch as anyone. Yes, go white sox.

Long live Shanoff, king of revisionist, instant history, as well as sports articles for ADHD sufferers. Have a good day

Dan, you're a fine writer, which is why I emphatically vote against continuing the Quickie style. I know you were supposed to do Insta-history, I know the constraints of a, uh, constrained column. But frankly, that bullet-point stuff in Quickie irritated me more than it entertained me.

As others have said, this is a blog, and there's no limitations on space. Write as much as a subject demands it -- every angle, every piece of evidence, every joke that can be extracted from it. I enjoyed this morning's posts because they weren't short and circumscribed. And there was real personality to them, too, which I never quite saw in the DQ.

Hey DS,I like the wrap-up style, not sure if quickie is now a dirty word for you...lol.It great to know that I have something to replace my quickie favorites link with!-Rob in Franconia Notch State park

When (not if) Ryan passes through 61 homers in late September, he should be recognized as the first true Home Run Champion to pass Maris. It digusts me to think that no one will ever really geta legitimate shot at the home run title again, because it was put so far out of reach by a cheater. 61 is still the true record and will fall this year to "the Man", Ryan Howard.

I vote for separate posts for big stories and one wrap-up of smaller stories. I also like the idea of linked sources for stories if we want a really in-depth read on a topic. I often wondered where you learned about stories that I had heard NOTHING about before reading the Quickie.

Wrap it up...wrap it up...wait, wasn't that a Subway commercial a while back? You should call it what it is: SHOW...Sports Headlines Over Work. This blog post and the previous quickie probably account for millions in lost productivity at the work place each day.

Can i make a design suggestion? I think you should make the font a little smaller, so more material is presented on screen at one time. Constantly having to scroll (alot) kind of sucks.

Also, is there anyway to make the blog a little wider? I think that might help a little as well.

Back to sports....that Agassi match was amazing last night! Damn, this guy knows how to go out with style, even if he doesn't win it all. First 2 matches...unbelievable. Here's hoping his back holds up for more of this...

Please Keep the quickie style. It's been my 11:00 AM break for several years now. I was nearly crushed when I heard the news about no more DQ column. I thought I'd have to find an alternative read in the AM or give up my break altogether. I really appreciate the style and the content.Good luck.

Dan, its Frankie from work in the Evil Empire (kind of a MQ original)...I just wanted to say that even though I missed your final MQ, I always read your DQ and just wanted to say you've done a great job for the last 3 years and the SN chat rooms are not the same without you...

On that note, how come no love for the Giants? 4-0 preseason, and with most of their starters out after one series last night totally smacked golden boy Tom and the genius...can we call that the Pats will not make the playoffs right now???? Please????

i thought i was going to have to turn to hard drugs or coffee to get me through my morning. Your blog will help me get through the day. all-in-one format is great and maybe if a story come along that is big enough, like monday USA HOOPS, then a one story perday would work great.

I would just go with the flow, man. If you want to do a quickie style, with multiple strands, then do it; if you want to go longer about one topic--flesh it out a bit more--do it. You know we'll all read it either way...you're the man.

glad you're soliciting input on how this place should look. here's an idea for how to make this place really good: every morning, smear your excrement (hey, i don't know about the rest of you fellas, but i know i take a morning constitutional every day, i mean, who doesn't, am i right?) on a piece of paper; scan it; post it; and blam-o! couldn't be any worse than what you've been running on espn.com all this while, and on here today. glad i could be of help.

I prefer one larger post with several topics than several posts of one topic. Makes it easier on us as well as we can have one larger comment rather than lots of smaller ones. Should also make it easier on you to read them all as well.

Ok, after reading through all the comments, I'd have to agree with the people above who said a mixture of both. A wrap is nice, then maybe a separate post for the bigger stories. In this format there's no need to limit yourself in terms of size on things you really want to throw out there and talk about.

Its easier to follow with one and done. That said, its upt ot you how much you want to deidicate to any one subject and that decision will dictate the format. Good luck and thanks for keeping some semblance of the Quckie alive!

Given how the long post turns out when we comment I think I'd prefer the shorter version. Also there are other sites/places to do this that may work better for longer posts and comment threads. A combo blog and wiki site may be a good option. Blog for the stories, wiki for ongoing things like "The Face of Baseball".

Speaking of said face: Why not Albert Pujols? He has all the numbers, a winning team with tradition a plenty and at a young age is setting up for a run at some of baseball's most hollowed records (755?).

to add to all the noise - I'd vote for a quickie-style all-in-one post every morning (so that I can continue to read it over lunch at noon as I've become used to) and additional posts (rarely) for breaking/major news.

Weekend posts would be nice too, but I know that you need to have a life too :-)

1. Lance is bi. He has been in South Beach sharing a room with Muscle Matt at the Shore Club.2. This is complete publicity stunt i.e. he wants to quell the gay rumors and what a better way than to go out with the biggest tramp in the US. BTW, have you seen pics of her lately - can you say cellulite. 3. She is so dumb, she probably thinks he has nothing to bang her with.

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DanShanoff.com is a sports-blog spin-off of my long-time ESPN.com column, "The Daily Quickie." Anchored by an early-morning post of must-know topics, the blog is updated frequently throughout the day with new posts and user comments.